In Love Accidentally
by inloveaccidentally
Summary: Follow the First Generation through their later years of Hogwarts as they attempt to understand life, death, and everything in between that they didn't see coming.
1. Slug Horn

Horace Slughorn, the Hogwarts Potions teacher, for as long as Marlene could remember, had always had a proclivity for talented students he deemed to be future leaders. She remembered the first time she'd heard about his esteemed "Slug Club" and wondering if she'd ever be invited. She had been. She was a McKinnon, after all, and if that wasn't good enough to get her in, she didn't know what else would. It wasn't until after her second meeting however, that she realized her older brother Wesley _wasn't_ at the meetings. When she asked him why he never attended, he smirked, ruffling her hair. "Maybe I'll tell you when you're older," he answered, bopping her on the nose and strolling away.

It wasn't until her third year, however, that she found out where he really went during the Slug Club parties. There was a Slug Club party that night, and her last lesson of the day was Transfiguration. She had just exited the classroom, jabbering away with her best friend, Dorcas Meadowes, discussing what they were going to wear.

"Hmm, no, I wouldn't wear that…" Wes chimed in as Dorcas was describing her outfit. "I'd wear something more… sexy." Dorcas blushed.

"Bugger off, Wes," Marlene scolded. Their brother/sister relationship was constantly in limbo between best mates and annoyance.

He shrugged, throwing an arm around Dorcas's shoulders. Her eyes widened before furrowing, throwing a sideways glance of confusion at Marlene. "You would think, " he whispered roguishly in her ear, loud enough for his sister to overhear, "after nagging me for _years_ about where I go during Slug Club meetings, she'd be less difficult when I try to tell her, don't you think?"

Marlene's head whipped around so fast her neck ached. "Where?" She whispered back, intrigued.

Wes shrugged. "Can't tell you… Don't get your knickers in a twist!" He added, eyeing his sister's mutinous expression. "Just… don't dress like you're actually going to Slughorn's. Head down to his office at the normal time. And that's all you need to know for now…" With that, he disappeared into a staircase hidden behind a tapestry.

Dorcas and Marlene exchanged looks, unsure what to make of his vague instructions. Nevertheless, they changed out of their robes and Marlene met Dorcas outside the Gryffindor Common Room at a quarter to eight. They headed in the direction of Slughorn's office, taking the long way there instead of their usual shortcuts.

They were only a floor away when they were accosted by none other than Sirius Black. He appeared seemingly out of nowhere, putting arm around each of them and steering them sideways into an abandoned classroom. Only the classroom was no longer abandoned. There were roughly twenty students inside, milling around, drinking, chatting, bobbing in time to the music that had been inaudible from the corridor.

"Welcome to the Horn Club," Sirius said nonchalantly before returning to the door, studying a piece of parchment intently. Before Marlene could get a closer look at the parchment, Gideon Prewett intercepted her.

"Little Lena!" He greeted, arms open wide. Gideon and his twin Fabian were two of her brother's best mates, even though they were a year ahead. She'd spent many a summer holidays with them, playing two aside Quidditch.

"It's Marlene," she reminded him for what felt like the thousandth time. The twins had dubbed her Lena upon their first visit to the McKinnon house, claiming it was shorter. She argued that it was the same number of syllables, but the nickname had stuck anyways.

"Whatever," he said with a grin. "Welcome to the Horn Club. We have, after much deliberation, decided you are worthy to join our exclusive Anti-Slug Club. Wes argued it would be cruel to induct you and leave your pretty friend here to suffer alone through Slug gatherings, so after close observation, we have decided she too is worthy on induction. So, prepare yourself for a long, grueling initiation."

"Shove off Gideon," Fabian said good-humoredly, strolling over with two butterbeers in hand. Gideon hit him playfully before wandering off to talk to Emmeline Vance. "Ready for your initiation?"

Dorcas, whose eyes had been following Gideon with interest, snapped to his twin. "I thought that was a joke…?"

Fabian smiled, steering them over to an empty corner. "It's no big deal, just a vow of silence saying not to spread around what we're doing. Here," he offered them both one of the butterbeers in his hand. They took them from him, but as they did so, he pulled a flask out of his back pocket. "Do you solemnly swear not to divulge the whereabouts or existence of the Horn Club?"

Dorcas and Marlene both muttered "I do."

"Alright then," he said, as if that settled the matter, taking a swig from his flask.

"That's it?" They said, again, in unison.

He smirked, looking back and forth between the pair. "Of course not. Now you drink." He held the flask out to them.

Marlene had never had anything stronger than butterbeer before, only trying it a month prior on her first Hogsmeade trip. She new Dorcas was thinking something similar. She glanced sideways at her friend, who was already looking at her. Marlene knew she would have to take the lead on this one. She looked at the flask, then up at Fabian, who was watching her through narrowed eyes. She reached out for the flask, and took a large swig, not breaking eye contact. It wasn't until she swallowed that she had to look away. Firewhiskey. It burned as it went down her throat, and she blinked repeatedly to keep her eyes from welling up. She coughed once and handed the flask to Dorcas.

Fabian wore an approving expression as he diverted his attention to Dorcas. She took a sizeable swallow, a shiver traveling down her body as it went down, warming her insides. He clapped her on the back, taking back his flask. "Congratulations, new members of the Horn."

"Which is so named because…?" Dorcas asked.

"Slughorn. The Slug Club and the Horn Club," Marlene answered, Fabian gave a noncommittal nod. Marlene narrowed her eyes, and the other half of the meaning came to her. "And because horn can also mean you've got the hots for someone. Horny. Am I right?" The Firewhiskey was making her bolder, and she took a sip of her butterbeer to hide her blush.

"Too right you are, Lena." Fabian said with a hint of surprise.

"It's Marlene," she reminded him.

"Whatever," he answered, waving her comment away. "Enjoy your first party." His smile was devious, and Marlene couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened at these parties. He'd only walked a few steps when he turned back. "Oh, and Lena, Wes said to make sure to not embarrass him," he added with a wink.

"It's Marlene!" she growled under her breath.

Dorcas turned to her, "Oh hush, it's cute. There are worse nicknames they could have given you. I wouldn't mind them acknowledging me," she remarked wistfully. "They're quite fit…" she trailed off, watching Gideon, who was now talking to James Potter.

"Mmm, yeah, positively dreamy," Sirius concurred, sidling up behind the pair.

Remus had taken up post by the door, huddled over the same piece of parchment Sirius had been examining. "What's on the parchment?" Marlene asked, pointing towards it with her bottle. "A list of members?"

Sirius followed her gaze before looking back at her. "Something like that." He smirked. Marlene was beginning to feel like smirking was a requirement for being in the club. Smiling was too commonplace. She didn't know much about Sirius other than what she'd overheard in the girls' lavatories.

"I could introduce you, Dorcas," Sirius offered, still smirking. Dorcas blushed. "C'mon, Frank and Alice need competition for Gryffindor power couple. I'd extend the offer to your friend here, but, y'know…" He mouthed the word Ravenclaw.

Dorcas giggled attractively while Marlene snorted into her butterbeer much less attractively. "Against inter-house dating, Black?" Dorcas asked.

"Not at all," he answered wiggling his eyebrows at Marlene, who rolled her eyes in return.

"What a pity," Marlene droned. She brushed past him and headed for Fabian, Firewhiskey still burning slightly in her core.

"Wrong one!" Sirius whispered as he stole past her.

Marlene ignored him. She could tell the twins apart—they weren't identical, after all. What a git. She tapped Fabian on the shoulder, and he turned from his conversation with her brother. "Is Gideon seeing anyone?" She was beginning to like the warm feeling of the Firewhiskey and the boldness that came with it.

Wes slapped a hand over is eyes. "Oh my Merlin, I don't want to know who you fancy, especially if it's my mate." With that, he stalked off to the other side of the room, which was filling up quickly with students of all ages.

Fabian watched him go before turning back to Marlene. "So, you got a thing for my brother? You know, we _are_ twins."

"What? _You are_?" Marlene asked with mock surprise. He smiled at that. "Alas, no, Dorcas has her eye on him."

Fabian '_ahh_'ed with comprehension, taking a swig from his flask. "So, naturally we have to take the most complicated route possible instead of her just talking to him herself."

Marlene took the flask from him, stealing a sip for herself. "Or I'm just a good mate, sparing her the humiliation of hitting on a guy who's taken."

He shrugged. "Well, believe it or not, but we don't really sit around braiding our hair and talking about feelings." Marlene fixed him with her most scathing look. She wasn't sure how effective it was as her face was beginning to feel numb. However, he added, "But… I do believe he has his sights set on someone at the moment."

"Thank you," her voice dripping with sarcasm. She made to give the flask back to him, but he pushed it back towards her. She knew it was a challenge. She put it to her lips but knew better than to take as large a gulp as her first. She turned it up but used her tongue to slow the flood of liquid. She swallowed, smacking her lips with feigned pleasure.

"You're an interesting bird, Lena." He remarked, tucking a hair behind her ear. She averted her eyes, unable to hide her blush behind her hair. He smiled, whispering into her exposed ear, "Your friend is looking for you." His lips brushed against her ear before he walked off. She shivered. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Marlene wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Dorcas found her then. "What are you doing?" she whispered urgently. Marlene exhaled, shaking her head slightly to clear it. She swapped her bottle with Dorcas's near empty one.

"Gideon's got eyes from some bird," she told her friend, empathetic.

Dorcas giggled. "That's okay. I can still look can't I?" She smiled slyly, looping her arm through her friend's. "Besides," she began, squaring her shoulders, "that means he's still free to look too, eh? So let's give 'em something to look at…"

Marlene eyed her friend with interest. She'd been the one drinking Firewhiskey, not Dorcas. Not that she was complaining, Dorcas had been long overdue to overcome her shyness. Marlene sat her drink down, and guided her friend over to where others were dancing. She spun Dorcas around, and she laughed shrilly, Marlene joining in as she dusted the cobwebs off her best dance moves.

* * *

><p>Marlene chuckled to herself as she walked down the corridor, remembering her first Horn party, flashes of other parties from the past two years following the first.<p>

"What's so funny?" a voice asked.

She looked down to her left at Ava Meadowes, Dorcas's little sister, who was in Ravenclaw with Marlene. "Nothing," she answered distractedly, "I, er, just remembered, these shoes blister me something terrible. I'm going to go change, er, go on without me."

Ava studied her with her wide eyes, and Marlene feared for a second that she was going to offer to walk back with her. Thankfully, however, she went on without her. Marlene backtracked until she was safely around the corner and ducked into an empty classroom. She took off her cloak to reveal a much less school appropriate dress underneath. It was the Friday before Halloween, and she was not missing a Horn party for another stuffy Slug Club gathering. She stuffed her cloak into her bag, which she hid under a desk.

From there, she snuck down a flight of stairs to the next empty classroom. She knocked twice and heard the lock click. She slipped through the door and her senses were immediately assaulted. Her ears were affronted with loud music and her eyes strained to see through the foggy haze that engulfed the room. Before she had regained use of her senses, she felt an arm slip around her waist. She leaned back and inhaled the familiar scent—only it wasn't there. It had been replaced by the scent of Firewhiskey, still, she knew it was him. He spun her around, pressing their foreheads together.

She kissed him lightly on the lips before pulling back. The boys must have started early because Fabian's eyes were already starting to glaze over.

Marlene felt a hand on her shoulder—Wes. "Listen, I'm cool with you two, just not in front of me, okay?" He teased, waggling his finger at them.

"You're one to talk," Marlene countered. As if on cue, Dorcas appeared beside him, slipping her hand into his. She was right in thinking that they'd started early. Dorcas's cheeks were flushed in a way that wasn't fading away, and she'd stopped blushing constantly ages ago. Marlene had to admit that was due, in part, to her relationship with her brother, so she couldn't badger her about dating Wes. Likewise, Wes had stopped harassing Fabian and Marlene—mostly.

Wes shrugged, but dragged Fabian away to induct some new members that had just been unceremoniously dragged through the door by James Potter. Lily Evans, who had been inducted earlier that year watched on disapprovingly, but said nothing. Marlene took comfort in having another Prefect at these parties. (Other than Remus, but he hardly counted as he'd always been a Marauder.)

She waved, and Lily made a beeline for them. "So, you started without me?"

Dorcas giggled (a little longer than usual). "Only like an hour ago, but we were playing Never Have I Ever, so…"

Marlene took comfort in the fact that Dorcas was still fairly sober. She had no desire to know what Dorcas had and hadn't done with her older brother. She shuddered at the thought, but then paled. "Bloody hell, what did Fabian say?" Marlene rubbed her temples, feeling nauseous, torn between wanting a drink and fear of increasing her nausea.

Dorcas erupted into a fit of giggles, so it was Lily who answered. "He was very good." Marlene raised an eyebrow. Had she _seen_ Fabian? Lily rolled her eyes, "Well, he didn't mention details. I'm sure you're not the only one he's guilty of things with."

Marlene pursed her lips. "That's so comforting, Lily." Lily smiled apologetically. Marlene shrugged it off. "I can't help noticing you're incredibly sober…" She arched an eyebrow.

"Oh don't look at me like that," she chided. "I didn't participate. Could you imagine the frenzy that would send Potter into?"

It was Marlene's turn to giggle. Relaxing, she took a sip out of Dorcas's cup. Her eyes widened with surprise. "Merlin, what _is_ that? It's fucking delicious."

"RIGHT?" Dorcas exclaimed. "But deadly," her eyes widening to match her friend's. "Hence…" She gestured her own flushed face.

"Um, Marlene." Mary McDonald appeared beside Lily. She'd been inducted at the end of the previous year, and convinced the others that Lily could be trusted, Prefect status notwithstanding.

"Hmm?" she hummed, currently draining the last of Dorcas's cup.

She gestured across the room towards a certain redheaded boy who was whispering in the ear of a blonde girl he had pinned against the wall. "Isn't that your boyfriend?"

Marlene squinted. "Nope, definitely Gideon."

"Yeah, I don't think it's me either," Fabian said seriously, sidling up behind her and handing her a drink. He nuzzled his face in her hair, nibbling her ear affectionately.

Mary blushed, looking away. "Sorry, I can't tell you two apart sober, much less after that game…"

Fabian chuckled. "S'okay. Happens all the time. We're twins, you know."

"I'm feeling as if I missed out on this game," Marlene pouted.

"Let's play again!" Dorcas suggested excitedly.

Fabian snorted, blowing Marlene's hair into her face. "Says the girl who was winning. I'm down to play again." He tickled Marlene on the stomach. "Though, preferably not with your brother…" he added as an afterthought.

"Hmm, yeah, that'd be preferable," she agreed.

Mary groaned. "Not tonight, please. I've had enough." She took a sip of her drink anyways.

Lily smirked. (James would be proud, Marlene thought.) "You just need more time to think of things you haven't done yet Mary."

They all laughed at the expression on Mary's face. She drew herself up to her full height, which was still rather short. "Well… Well, at least I've never hooked up in a Hogwarts Express bathroom!"

Marlene choked on her drink. "Who was that?" she asked, curiosity peaked. That was ballsy, she thought.

Everyone went silent, except Fabian who was laughing silently. Marlene looked around the group. Dorcas looked as if she wanted to drown in her cup, and looked up sheepishly. "Shit, Dorcas. Just… Holy shit. I need air."

Laughing, and slightly nauseous, she slipped away from Fabian, stepping out into much cleaner air in the corridor. Not wanting to be discovered by Filch or Mrs. Norris, she stole back up to the classroom where she'd stashed her cloak. She closed the door behind her, leaning her forehead against the cool stone walls, laughing to herself quietly.

"Alright there McKinnon?" Sirius Black. He was laying on a desk, head turned towards her, cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

Marlene gaped at him momentarily before composing herself. "I didn't know you smoked," she said slowly.

He sat up, shaking his hair back into place. (He did have really nice hair, she thought. It wasn't fair for a bloke to have such nice hair.) He ashed his fag before speaking. "Er, yeah. Just don't tell anyone, don't want the firsties following my lead."

He met her gaze. "I won't tell so long as you've got one for me."

It was Sirius's turn to be surprised. "You smoke?" His tone was disbelieving.

Marlene shuffled her feet. "Only when I'm stressed. Don't tell Wes."

The look he gave her was a mingling of approval and astonishment. "Sure thing." He reached in his pocket pulling out a lighter and a pack of cigs. He paused in the act of offering her one. "Hmm…" Marlene arched an eyebrow, reaching for the cigarette. He pulled it away from her. "Now when you say you smoke…"

She studied him for a moment before realizing his meaning. "I mean fags," she said, laughing.

"Pity," he said, taking a long drag off his own before lighting hers.

Marlene sat down on the desk with him and inhaled deeply. "Maybe some other time," she joked, exhaling out her nose.

"I _will_ hold you to that ma'am." He nudged her gently. "So," he began, taking a hit off his cig before continuing. "Why are you stressing during a party?"

"Mmm," Marlene mimicked him, taking a long drag before speaking. "I found out some of the reasons why my brother and Dorcas had to drink during Never Have I Ever." Marlene shuddered. Sirius laughed. He rubbed her back as if to comfort her; she shrugged it off.

"I could tell you some of mine. You wouldn't feel near as bad." Marlene gagged theatrically. He shoved her again. "Don't be so high and mighty. Your boy was also playing. I'd be interested to know which ones of those were you…"

Marlene's eyes widened, and she began to hit every piece of Sirius Black she could reach. His bark-like laugh rang throughout the room as he jumped off the desk and out of range of her arms. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, wandering back towards her, studying her. "Hmm, feisty, violent… So that one time in the Quidditch changing room, was that—"

Before he could finish and Marlene's face could give her away, the door opened. Both of them froze, fearing the worst: Filch, a Prefect, a professor. Fortunately, it was only Fabian. Marlene hid her cig behind her back. Sirius noticed and casually took it from her as Fabian crossed the room.

"You're still smoking, Sirius? I thought you'd quit."

He shrugged. "Yeah, me too." He inhaled deeply from Marlene's cigarette, winking as Fabian turned to her.

"I was wondering where you'd wandered off to…" He drew her into him. "Missed you…"

Marlene could almost hear Sirius's eyes rolling behind her. She kissed her boyfriend on the jaw. "I just needed some air."

"Mmm yeah, the air's _so_ fresh in here," Sirius drawled, exhaling his smoke in their direction to emphasize his point. What a prick. Still, he had covered her little habit for her.

"Shove off, Sirius."

He shrugged, murmuring something along the times of "here first."

Marlene pulled her boyfriend by the hand back towards the door. As she closed the door behind her she mouthed a "thank you" to Sirius, who saluted her briefly before the door had shut.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Please comment/review/critique! I get the characterizations down more the farther along I go so please stick around! 3


	2. Mamihlapinatapai

**A/N: **The first chapter was fifth year flashback to third year, and now we're on summer before fifth year. Sorry to jump around but this is how my brain works. :D

"Mamihlapinatapai: (n) a look shared by two people with each wishing that the other will initiate something that both desire but which neither one wants to start"

* * *

><p>Dorcas lay back on the grass, fanning out her hair behind her, allowing the sun to lighten it from its wintry shade of brown to its summery shade of slightly less boring brown with hints of red. She squinted through her sunglasses at the figures above her, watching the boys plus Marlene attempt to play Quidditch. She had to admit that Marlene wasn't bad, but next to the Prewett twins and her brother… She didn't stand much of a chance. She lacked their fiery passion for the game, and when the boys would hoot and holler or groan in defeat, she would roll her eyes at Dorcas as if to say "<em>Boys.<em>"

Today she played alongside Fabian, per the request of Wes. The day before she had played with Gideon, but due to Marlene and Fabian's budding relationship, he was reluctant to play rough with her as he once had, much to the annoyance of Wes. He purposely knocked into her when they finally called it a day, only to have Fabian catch her and plant a kiss on her lips. Wes groaned and stalked off. Dorcas giggled. Wes was something else. He heard her giggle from across the lawn and made a face, which she returned.

Dorcas was brought back into the present as Marlene obstructed her sunlight, landing softly on the grass beside her. "Done for the day already?" Dorcas remarked, surprised. They'd only been at it for nearly an hour.

Marlene grunted. Dorcas smiled to herself. Marlene had always shown signs of being raised with an older brother, a little rougher around the edges than Dorcas. "They're trying to invent a new game," she said, exasperated. _Oh boy_, thought Dorcas. She could see Marlene stretching on the grass beside her, and heard her back crack a few times. "Let's sunbathe," she said suddenly.

"You're not going to play anymore?" Dorcas asked.

She heard her friend grunt again. "They'll be arguing over rules for the next week." True, thought Dorcas. Marlene had already jumped up, and extended a hand to Dorcas, which she took, feeling her feet part from the ground momentarily as Marlene pulled her up. Dorcas smoothed the back of her dress down.

A sudden urge overtook her. "Race you to the house?" she said mischievously.

Marlene stretched, yawning—a fake one, Dorcas could tell. She tensed, seeing right through her friend's deception. Too right she was for a moment later Marlene was sprinting towards the house, Dorcas right behind her, gasping for breath through her laughter. Marlene skidded along the rug inside the front door, arms flailing as she attempted to regain her balance. Dorcas raced past her and began climbing the stairs on all fours like she used to do as a child. Marlene yelped and then tore up the stairs behind her. Unable to get around her, she grabbed onto her waist as they reached the top of the stair, and steered her in the opposite direction of her room. Dorcas squealed in disbelief, taking off around the banister towards Marlene's room, catching her just in time. Both girls attempted to beat each other into the bedroom but ended up colliding with the doorframe. They looked at each other, eyes watering from the pain.

"Ow," Dorcas pouted as she massaged her shoulder.

Marlene slumped into the room, collapsing on her bed. "When… did you… get… so fast?" She choked out in-between giggles.

Dorcas laughed with her, falling onto the bed face first, heart pumping fast. "Race to see who can put on their swim costume first?" She teased.

Her friend's groan turned into a throaty laugh as she swatted her on the arm.

As they made their way back to the lawn they admired the other's red welts on their shoulders and argued over whose would bruise the worst. Dorcas could see the boys debating on a patch of grass nearby, and silently agreed with her friend's assumption about the new game's rules.

They spread out their towels nearby, and Dorcas sighed, relishing the way her skin tingled as it absorbed the summer sun. She realized that the boys had stopped arguing and sat up. Marlene, who was lying on her stomach, had propped up on her elbows to see over her shoulder. The boys were staring at them unabashedly. Dorcas felt the familiar flush creep into her cheeks, lying back down so they couldn't see. She wondered if Fabian had ever told his twin that she'd fancied him back in third year.

Dorcas glanced over at Marlene, who was smirking at her. "What?" she whispered, her cheeks still burning.

Marlene giggled in a very Dorcas-esque manner. "Well they're not looking at me—except Fabian, er, well, he better be…" She glanced back over her shoulder, winking at him. Dorcas didn't look to see his reaction, instead busied herself with adjusting her suit. Marlene smiled down at her friend. "Seriously Dorcas, what puberty gods have you been praying to and can you throw in a good word for me?"

She blushed harder than ever. At this rate, she was worried her face was going to get stuck this way. "Stop it," she whispered, hearing the boys approaching rather than seeing. She rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face in her arms, willing her blush to fade faster.

"The school uniforms don't do you any justice, Dorcas," Fabian commented, sandwiching Marlene against her towel. Dorcas's head jerked up from her arm pillow, jaw dropping in disbelief. Marlene's response was lost into her towel.

Wes laid down in front of them, tutting in disapproval. "Don't hit on girls not my sister in front of me, mate. I really don't want to hex you." Fabian laughed.

"But you already threaten to hex him for hitting on Marlene," Dorcas remarked, raising an eyebrow at him. His narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head as if to say "traitor".

Fabian clapped her on the back approvingly. "What do you say we take these birds out tonight and leave sourpuss here?" He called to his twin, who was sitting Indian style next to Dorcas.

Wes grasped his heart dramatically, feigning offense. Dorcas laughed softly, rubbing his shoulder to comfort him. He grabbed hold of her hand, looking over at Gideon, challenging him. Moments later, the two were tussling in the grass, and Dorcas rolled her eyes. She knew better than to take the boys too seriously. Well, except perhaps Fabian, who had finally rolled off Marlene. He was dragging his fingers up and down her arm, and she was trying to pretend it didn't tickle—and failing.

Dorcas rolled over, not wanting to third wheel, and darted around the boys who were still wrestling. She made her way to kitchen, and helped herself to a glass of water. She leaned against the counter, rubbing the edge of the glass against her lips, smiling to herself. Dorcas loved days like these; days where she could forget about the war reeking havoc on the wizarding world. It seemed like such a foreign concept to her, especially during summer holidays where everything was full of nonsense and free of responsibility.

Before she could think herself out of her happy state, Wesley stumbled into the kitchen, face flushed and hair tousled. "Hey," he panted, reaching around her to get a glass out of the cabinet. He smelled of grass, and sweat, and boy. He filled his glass at the sink, gulping it down as quickly as he filled it. Wes laughed to himself. "Sorry if they embarrassed you out there," he jerked his head in the general direction of the yard.

Dorcas shrugged, smiling at him over her cup. "It's…" she trailed off, distracted as Wes pulled his shirt up to wipe the sweat off his face. He looked up, catching her staring at his exposed chest. Dorcas blushed. Damn her face, she thought. And damn him for being fit. And for being her best mate's brother. She coughed lamely. "It's nothing," she finished weakly. She squared her shoulders and brushed past him out the room. She could feel her eyes on him as he followed her back outside. She tried not to think about it, and she really, _really_ tried not to enjoy it. Honest.

* * *

><p>Dorcas rolled out of Marlene's bed, struggling slightly to disentangle herself from the sheets. She couldn't hear anyone else stirring yet, so after brushing her teeth she headed downstairs to brew a pot of tea.<p>

She stretched as she entered the kitchen, relishing the way her muscles ached after a good night's sleep. She stumbled over to the cabinet and set about making a cup of tea. She was halfway through doctoring her cup when a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She whipped around, spoon in hand as if to defend herself. It was Wes. He raised his eyebrows at her. Taking the cup out of her hand and smacking his lips appreciatively. "Thanks, love, but we've really got to stop meeting like this."

It was then that Dorcas realized Wes was only wearing a t-shirt and boxers. She waited for the familiar blush to creep up, but it didn't come. Confused, she set about making herself another cup of tea, very aware of Wes's eyes on her. She tensed, nearly knocking over the sugar bowl. She righted it quickly, only spilling a handful of crystals. Wesley chuckled, wetting a rag and cleaning up the mess for her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, embarrassed but thankfully not blushing.

Wes pulled her hair back behind her shoulders. Her hair felt electrified and she could feel her scalp tingling. "Why so tense?" he asked, smile playing across his lips.

She'd lost her ability to form words. He was _much_ too close; she could see his freckles. She could've counted them if she'd wanted, but wasn't sure she was capable of concentrating that hard at the moment. "I'm not," she mumbled again, her breath hitched in her throat. He cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy. He did kind of look like a puppy, she thought. A really, really _cute_ puppy. His hand was still resting on her shoulder from where he'd pushed back her hair. As if it had a mind of its own, it traveled from her shoulder to cup her face. Both of them glanced at it in surprise, then at each other.

If she'd had trouble breathing before, then this was it. This was how she was going to die. What were lungs? Did she need them? How had she managed to operate them all these years? Before she could remember how to catch her breath, Wes had closed the gap in between their faces, kissing her so fiercely that her lips burned. She gasped for breath, feeling lightheaded yet exhilarated. Best. Kiss. Ever. Dorcas thought briefly before kissing him again. He propped her up on the counter, kissing down the side of her neck as she worked his shirt over his head. Their lips met again and she could feel his hands working their way up her nightshirt and she shivered.

Dorcas's eyes flew open, only she was no longer in the kitchen with Wesley McKinnon. She was back in Marlene's bed and sweating from the intensity of her dream. She threw the covers off her and sat up, taking a deep breath. She shook her head slightly to clear it. She did _not_ just have a sex dream about Marlene's brother in Marlene's bed. She didn't. Dorcas thanked her lucky stars that Marlene was sleeping in her parents' bedroom while they were off on a second honeymoon at the family cabin. She felt a little less guilty as she wondered vaguely what she'd gotten up to with Fabian in there. Sick, she thought.

It was still incredibly dark out, and the clock told her that she'd only been asleep for little over an hour. She sighed, deciding to get a glass of water before trying to fall back asleep—not that she trusted her subconscious anymore. Traitor. She tiptoed down the hallway past Wesley's room, trying not to think about how fit he had looked in her dream, and she _definitely_ wasn't wondering what he really slept in.

She winced as the stair creaked beneath her bare feet, and hugged the banister the rest of the way down to prevent waking any of the others. She shivered at the coldness of the kitchen tile on her feet. Her eyes swept the kitchen, ensuring that Wes wasn't hiding anywhere. Reassured that she was alone, she fetched a cup of water, sitting on the counter as she sipped it. After a moment, she realized this was the scene of her dream crime and jumped off as if burned. Instead, she lounged in the crook of the bar, glaring at the counter as if were it's fault she had a wild imagination.

"We've got to stop meeting like this."

Dorcas started, nearly spilling her water all over herself, her head whipped around, neck aching. "Am I still dreaming?" she muttered to herself.

Wes cocked his head to the side. "Dream about me often?" he asked, curious.

"No," Dorcas said, a little too quickly and a little too defensively. She looked around the room at everything but the boy across from her. Merlin, were her cheeks burning. This was definitely not a dream, she realized. Wes raised his eyebrows but said nothing, leaning casually against the counter, as if he _knew_ that was the dream crime scene. Dorcas found herself wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole. At least he had pants on this time, she thought, half grateful and half disappointed. No, she was grateful. Stop it hormones, she chided herself.

Wes was still watching her, an amused expression on his face, as if he could hear her internal conflict. "You're up late," he remarked.

"Bad dream," she answered, trying to act nonchalant.

"Want to talk about it?" he offered.

Dorcas choked on her water. "Er, no thanks." She brushed the water off her shirt, very conscious that she was not wearing a bra and her shirt was white. "I, um, hardly remember it, so, I think I'll just nip back up to bed…" Cradling her near empty glass to her chest, she stole out of the room.

"Good night, Dorcas," he called softly after her.

She half ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, not slowing her progress until she was safely back in Marlene's room with the door shut behind her. "Get it together, Dorcas," she told herself firmly. She crawled back into bed and hoped with all her might that she wouldn't continue her previous dream.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews, please? Also, check out the tumblr for this story. Same namelink in profile.**


	3. Booze & Bruise

She woke the next morning, having slept fitfully the rest of the night. She pinched herself to ensure that she really was awake. She stretched, but the good ache she craved wasn't there. She slumped out of bed, wandering over to Marlene's vanity and plopping down. Ugh, she thought, examining her puffy eyes. She rummaged around in the drawers until she found something to fix them. She ruffled her hair in the mirror, pleased to see some red sheen showing up at last. Satisfied, she brushed her teeth and headed down to breakfast.

The smell of bacon and eggs greeted her nostrils as she descended the stairs. She inhaled deeply. Breakfast was Dorcas's favorite meal of the day, and would gladly eat it any time of the day. She found the twins shoveling food into their mouths, Marlene side eyeing her boyfriend, teacup halfway to her mouth. Dorcas smiled at the sight.

"Finally," Wes groaned, coming up behind her and ushering her into the kitchen. Dorcas allowed herself to be shuffled over to the stove. "What does m'lady desire for breakfast?" He asked, waggling an egg front of her.

"Just some toast and bacon is fine," she said, her voice cracking from disuse.

Wes visibly deflated. "Aw come on," he urged. "I just learned how to flip eggs. Let me make you one," he begged, frying pan in one hand, egg in the other. He wiggled his hips and Dorcas shouldn't have found it attractive. Which she didn't, of course.

Oh bloody hell, she thought. "Over easy," she said, reaching around him to grab a piece of bacon before sidling over to the table with the others. Marlene poured her a cup of tea and passed over the sugar bowl, knowing that Dorcas only drank cream with coffee.

"Sleep okay?" she asked, turning away from her boyfriend as he helped himself to last few bites of her toast.

"Yeah," she answered simply, concentrating on stirring her tea rather than meeting her friend's eye. Wes glanced at her slyly from across the kitchen. Dorcas glared back. Do you know how much you suck? she said with her eyes.

Oblivious, Marlene changed the subject. "How's your shoulder?" she asked, pulling up her own sleeve to show off her bruise. Dorcas examined her shoulder for the first time since running into the door.

"A clear winner," Gideon pronounced. Indeed, Marlene's shoulder had a red scrape on it where as Dorcas's bruise was a lovely conglomerate of blues, purples, and her personal favorite: green.

"Mmm, now that's sexy," Wes commented, examining her shoulder as he slid an egg onto her plate. "I have some ointment that will get rid of that in minutes if you like."

Marlene scoffed. "No thanks, I don't need any, sweet brother of mine."

Wes made a face back at her. "Don't be such a girl."

"But I am a girl," she mumbled.

Dorcas nibbled on her toast, watching their banter. This was the way it was supposed to be. She cut into her egg with her fork, delighted that he hadn't overcooked the yolk. She soaked it up with the remainder of her toast. She thanked him for the egg when he finally sat down to eat.

"Glad you like it, 'cause, as the last one down, you get to do the dishes." He ripped off a piece of toast, smirking at her from across the table.

"Damn it."

She was grateful, at least, that they had had a simple breakfast, and finished cleaning up quickly. She wiped down the counter before making her way back upstairs. Wes's door was half open, and she knocked softly before pushing it open. He was lying on his half-made bed, head propped up on his hand as he read a letter. He glanced up at her when she stuck her head in the room. "I'm only open for booty calls after ten, sorry love."

Dorcas rolled her eyes. You need to stop, she thought.

Wes smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Sorry, here for your shoulder?"

"Yes please," she said simply. He motioned for her to follow him into the adjoining bathroom. He looked around under the sink for a few moments before finding in the back of a drawer.

"Well, come here," he said, and she left her perch in the doorway. He rolled up her sleeve and clicked his tongue disapprovingly at the sight of her bruise. "Next time you scrap with Marlene, hit harder for me, alright?" Dorcas blushed as he began to put the oily medicine on her bruise. He glanced up at her, noticing her pink cheeks. "You blush a lot," he remarked bluntly. "Was it something I said?" he teased when she said nothing.

She smiled at that. "No," she answered truthfully.

"Aw, and I thought it was just me," he pouted, blowing on her shoulder to make the ointment dry faster. She could feel the hairs on her arm standing up on end. He's doing this on purpose, I swear. "Sorry," he said as she shivered. Dorcas examined her shoulder to avoid looking at him. It had lightened in color and was considerably smaller already. Wes applied a second coating of ointment, but let it air dry this time, much to Dorcas's relief. "Are you really that shy?" he asked, leaning up against the sink.

Dorcas shrugged. "I'm not that shy, really, I just get embarrassed easily."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't see how they're different," he admitted.

Dorcas bit her lip before replying. "I'm not Marlene, I didn't grow up with boys like she did. I only have a little sister who makes _me_ look like Marlene. So, I guess, in that way, I am shy," she admitted.

Wes nodded. She wasn't sure if he understood or not. He leaned over, examining her shoulder where the bruise had been not five minutes ago. "All better," he pronounced.

"Thanks, Wes," she said, surprise showing in her voice as she examined her now bruise-less shoulder. She made to leave but he grabbed her hand. She was bloody blushing again.

He let go of her hand, seeing her flushed face. Laughing quietly to himself he put his hand under her chin, turning her face towards the light. She could feel her blush deepening. He sighed, "What are we going to do with you, Dorcas?" She smiled, meeting his eyes and shrugging. As if I don't want to get over this, she thought. His expression grew serious, an expression he didn't wear often. He crossed his arms and she could tell he was choosing his words carefully and stayed silent. "I'm sorry if I ever make you uncomfortable," he began slowly. "That's not my intention. I'm just used to Marlene who, frankly, isn't fazed by anything I say. I don't mean to embarrass you, lady," he finished with an apologetic smile.

"I know," she said. "You don't mean to do a lot of things… But thank you." She gave him a small smile, squeezing his arm before turning away, leaving him to ponder her parting words. It was his turn to think about her.

* * *

><p>Dorcas and Marlene went into town for the afternoon, perusing the Muggle shops. Despite her previous denials, Dorcas really had grown in the past year and as such needed to buy new Muggle wear. The dress she was currently wearing was borderline too short and was definitely tighter around the chest than when she bought it.<p>

She enjoyed spending the day away from the boys for the first time that week. Marlene took pleasure in mocking some of the more ridiculous Muggle trends, daring Dorcas to try them on. Eventually she started trying them on herself when Dorcas grew tired of trying on more 'no's than 'yes's.

They treated themselves to an ice cream cone after they had exhausted all the stores that the little town had to offer. Dorcas plopped down on an empty bench, relieving her arms of the weight of her bags. She licked the melted ice cream that had run down her hand. A Muggle boy a few years younger than her winked from across the street. Dorcas couldn't help but look affronted. Marlene laughed openly beside her. Offended, the boy wandered away. Marlene turned her attention, instead, to the store that the Muggle had been leaning against.

"Be right back," she said, shoving the last of her ice cream cone in her mouth. She darted across the street, leaving Dorcas with a bench full of bags to protect. A few minutes later Marlene reemerged from the store, paper bag in hand and a huge grin on her face that could only mean trouble.

"What is that?" Dorcas whispered urgently, curiosity peaked in spite of her sense of foreboding.

"Muggle alcohol," Marlene answered mischievously. "It has gold flecks in it, look! How _cool_ is that?" She shoved the bag under Dorcas's face excitedly. She laughed. Only Marlene.

"So what's the plan?"

* * *

><p>The boys greeted Marlene's paper bag with much enthusiasm. To show their thanks, they cooked dinner for the girls before beginning the evening's shenanigans. To begin, they all took a shot of the clear liquid, Marlene and Dorcas's eyes watering as it burned their throats. The twins laughed, and set about finding a suitable mixer for them. After Gideon had discovered a dangerously delicious concoction, they made a giant batch and set it on the floor of the sitting room. Wes produced a deck of Muggle playing cards and they sat in a circle around the "punch" bowl. They had decided that the only way to drink Muggle alcohol was with one of their games. Dorcas could already feel the tingle behind her eyes, and therefore had trouble paying attention while Wes explained the rules to the Muggle drinking game. She giggled, asking him to explain the rules again. He moved next to her, explaining the meaning of each card to her.<p>

"…and ace is waterfall, so if you get an ace, you start to drink. Then Marlene will have to drink, then Fabian, Gideon, and myself, and we can't stop drinking until the person before us does."

"Okay…" she said slowly, having already forgotten what a four, seven, and nine meant.

He threw an exasperated look at her, and Dorcas grinned sheepishly. She was such a lightweight. "I'll just explain as we go along."

Dorcas soon regretted not being able to remember four ("floor") and seven ("heaven"). She was always the last to point either up or down, and as such, kept having to drink. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much—or drank so much, she admitted to herself. Her face was completely numb and her hands and feet were tingling.

Fabian and Marlene were growing more and more affectionate by the minute, much to Wes's dismay. Fabian tickled her side slyly and Marlene erupted into a fit of laughter, snorting oh-so-attractively. Everyone laughed at that, and Dorcas was soon gasping for air. Wes grabbed hold of her shoulder as doubled over, straying dangerously close to the punch bowl. She leaned into him instead, her head too fuzzy to worry about Marlene.

She took a deep breath, thankful that the room had stopped spinning. "I need a drink," she said into his shoulder.

He laughed, "That's the last thing you need right now, lady." She laughed along with him.

"No, I know. I want water." He nodded, getting to his feet and helping her up, steadying her as she swayed a bit. Moving made the room spin and she didn't like the feeling. She was grateful that his tolerance was much higher than hers. She leaned against him as he got a glass from the cupboard. He put the cup down and, grabbing her by the waist, hoisted her up onto the counter.

He came back with the water what felt simultaneously like seconds and ages later. She took a sip, not having realized just how thirsty she was, and drained half the glass. "Better?" he asked.

Dorcas held her thumb and pointer finger a centimeter apart. "A little." She sighed heavily, suddenly feeling tired. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"You're a mess, Dorcas Meadowes," he said, a smile in his voice. She shook her head against his shoulder, tickling him with her hair. He laughed softly, pulling her hair away from his face.

She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, time had been moving in strange lulls and lurches. She was sure, however, that she was done drinking. "I think I should go to sleep now," she mumbled into his collarbone.

"I think you're right," he agreed. "Let's go," he said, helping her down from the counter. Much to her relief, the room was no longer spinning every time she moved.

He made to follow her but she put a hand to his chest. "I got it, honest." She met his gaze, and he let her go, though he looked as if it were against his better judgment. She slowly made her way to the stairwell. She was halfway up the stairs when the nausea hit her. She'd never been sick before, but she'd also never had this much to drink before either. She walked as quickly as she dared up the remaining steps, and made a beeline for the closest lavatory, which, unfortunately, was Wes's.

Dorcas groaned, flushing the toilet for the second time. She felt much better, but doubly exhausted. She splashed her face with cold water from the faucet and borrowed some mouthwash that was on the counter. Her feet felt twice as heavy as usual, and she gave up on trying to make it back to Marlene's room, crawling under the covers.

"Somebody's lost," Wes laughed upon noticing her in his bed.

Dorcas's eyes fluttered open. What time was it? Where was she? Was she even awake? The last of these thoughts made its way to her lips. "Am I awake or dreaming?"

"Awake," he answered her, pulling his shirt over his head.

Dorcas watched him warily, not entirely convinced that she was awake. "Then why am I in your bed?"

He shrugged into a clean shirt. "I should be asking you that question."

Dorcas groaned as she remembered the nausea and the lead feet that followed. She wiped her eyes sleepily. "Could you sleep in Marlene's room? I don't feel like moving," she laughed feebly.

He snorted. "So don't." He sat down on the opposite side of the bed, straightening the covers she had thrown off and pulling them back over her. "But there's no way I'm sleeping in Marlene's fluffy ass bed. Scoot over."

"What?" Dorcas said, bewildered and wanting desperately to go back to sleep.

He shoved her slightly, "You heard me. This bed is big enough for a family of four, so budge over." She obliged, rolling out of the middle and hugged the side. "You're sleeping here?" she asked, still confused.

"Well, yeah, it's _my_ bed." She could feel the bed rock as he burrowed under the sheets. She was so tired, and thinking was hard. Wes seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he rolled over, stifling a yawn, "Now, please, stop with the questions. I am drunk." Dorcas smiled at him over the pillow. "Good night, lady."


	4. Lady

When Dorcas woke up the next morning, she experienced the confusion all over again. Her chest felt compressed, she was pretty sure Marlene's sheets weren't red, and she was also pretty sure her pillows were much fluffier. The midnight conversation came back to her and she groaned as three realizations hit her at once. The sheets were the wrong color because she wasn't in Marlene's room; she was in Wesley's. The pressure on her chest was arm; an arm she was fairly certain belonged to Wes. The pillows weren't fluffy because they weren't pillows; it was someone's chest. A chest that most likely belonged to the arm, both of which she hoped belonged to Wes or else she was going to be _really_ confused. She lifted her cheek from the t-shirt chest pillow, and saw that, it was, indeed, Wes.

"Good morning," he said, his voice gravelly. His eyes were still closed and Dorcas started. He smiled, still not opening his eyes. She poked him playfully in the chest before lying down.

"I am so sorry," she whispered, her breath coasting across his neck.

He was quiet for a beat. "Mmm." Another beat. "It's fine." Beat, beat. "I haven't had a quality cuddle in a while." Dorcas scoffed.

"That's not what I meant, but, that too, I guess."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Dorcas."

She paused. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, lady." He wiggled under the covers, and Dorcas made to pull away but his arm around her didn't permit her to. "Actually," he said thoughtfully, "seriously, don't mention it. Marlene would skin me alive. Now _shh._" he burrowed his face into her hair and exhaled deeply. Within moments he was back asleep, but Dorcas was wide-awake. She watched the sunlight creeping across the room, conflicting emotions raging inside her. She snuggled closer to him, feeling guilty as she did so. The guilt she felt stemmed not only from her friendship with Marlene, but also from the sadness of knowing that it didn't mean anything for him like it did her. She sighed heavily, blowing the errant strands of hair from her face.

"Stoppp," he groaned, dragging out the word. "That tickles," he clumsily attempted to brush the hair from his neck. Dorcas smiled, tying her hair back with the elastic around her wrist. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," she breathed, a small smile on her lips as she added: "Tramp."

"What?" he laughed, opening his eyes for the first time and looking down at her. He rubbed his eyes before stretching, placing his hands behind his head.

Dorcas propped herself up on her elbow before answering. "Well you call me Lady, so wouldn't that make you Tramp?"

He furrowed his eyebrows together. "Isn't that a Muggle movie about dogs?" She nodded. He chuckled. "No, that would not make me Tramp because that's not why I call you lady."

"So why am I lady?" she asked, laying on her stomach and watching him across the pillows.

He shrugged. She wasn't satisfied with that answer, however, and he sighed. "It's weird…" She said nothing, raising an eyebrow, telling him to go on. "I don't know… You're just different from most birds—classier, like a lady from a century ago. You're quiet, and I've _never_ heard you swear. I dunno, you're ladylike." Dorcas's cheeks were, of course, flushed. The weird thing, however, was the faint tinge of pink on Wes's face. _She'd_ embarrassed _him._

"Oh." was all she could say. She pulled the covers up to her eyes. Neither of them said a thing after that.

Thankfully, the semi-awkward silence was broken when Marlene burst into the room, "I CAN'T FIND—" She stopped midsentence, finding her friend. The relief that crossed her face was quickly replaced by surprise, confusion, concern, and lastly, rage. She crossed the room in three giant strides and began punching every piece of her brother she could reach. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" Her tone flipped like a switch as she turned to Dorcas, "Are you okay?" Wes quickly grabbed Marlene's fists to prevent further pummeling.

"I'm fine!" she gushed, throwing back the covers. Marlene looked relieved to find her fully clothed. "I was too tired to make it back to your room so I passed out here. I'm fine," she repeated.

Marlene sighed in relief, and Wes released his grip on her wrists. "You scared the hell out of me." She punched Wes in the arm again for good measure, and he winced. Dorcas had a feeling that at that moment he was regretting ever teaching her how to throw a punch. Marlene jumped off the bed, freeing her older brother from where she'd had him pinned.

"Sorry," she said, following Marlene out of the room.

"It's okay," Marlene mumbled, tired from all the early morning excitement.

Dorcas and Wes exchanged smirks, Marlene not realizing she had been apologizing to Wes. She shrugged, rolling her eyes as if to say, "What are you gonna do?", before stepping out into the hallway.

She took a quick shower, Marlene having already showered—probably with Fabian, Dorcas thought, blushing for her friend. She tousled her hair with the towel to remove any excess water before leaving it to air dry.

Marlene was lying back on her bed when Dorcas stepped out of the bathroom. "Sorry for going all psycho-friend on you," she said, an apologetic smile on her face.

"Don't apologize," Dorcas smiled. "I'd be more upset if you hadn't noticed!"

Her friend smiled. "I just… Ugh… When I thought Wes had drunkenly hooked up with you…" she trailed off, shuddering at the thought.

Dorcas swallowed, gathering her courage. "And if we'd been sober?"

Silence.

Marlene sat up. "Are you saying something did happen?" she asked slowly, her face guarded.

"No," Dorcas clarified quickly. "No, nothing happened."

Her friend was side-eyeing her. "So why are you asking?" Dorcas smiled feebly. Marlene's shoulders sagged. "Oh girl, you have got it bad. Listen, anything he may have said to you last night…" she paused, treading carefully with her words.

"No," she said for what felt like the hundredth time. "It started a few days ago—for me," she clarified.

Marlene closed her eyes. "Well," she began, looking over at her friend. "I guess you could do worse."

Dorcas laughed softly, trying not to feel the wave of relief that was crashing through her, but boy, was she. "Don't worry, nothing's going to happen. It's completely one sided," she said, trying not to sound totally pathetic and puppy lovesick.

Marlene reached out, enveloping her best friend in a hug. "I won't say I'm not relieved, but if anything did happen, I guess you'd make an alright sister-in-law." Dorcas laughed, a note of hysteria in her voice. Marriage? Merlin, she wasn't thinking that far ahead. "I'd never forgive him for hurting you, my beautifully sweet, innocent friend." Dorcas giggled, grateful that, for once, she didn't blush. "Come on, let's get some breakfast. I'm positively ravenous."

The twins were already helping themselves to cereal when they entered the kitchen. "Sleep well?" Gideon asked.

Dorcas shrugged.

"I didn't get much sleep," Marlene said slyly, Fabian pulling her into him and kissing the top of her head. Gideon exchanged exasperated looks with Dorcas. "I see she found you," he asked conversationally.

"Um," she stalled, faux-concentrating on pouring her cereal. "Yeah… Passed out in the wrong room." She smiled sheepishly, praying he wouldn't ask which room.

He didn't. Through a mouthful of cereal, he admitted, "I never made it back upstairs. Passed out on the couch. I think I'll stick to Firewhiskey from now on. I feel bloody awful."

"You too?" Wes remarked, entering the kitchen. Gideon grunted miserably.

Dorcas went to sit at the other side of the bar; she could feel Marlene's eyes darting between her and Wes, who had just occupied the other barstool. She shot her a look, and she went back to stealing bites of Fabian's cereal. Everyone ate in silence, too tired to make conversation. Marlene and Fabian finished first, having shared a bowl. Gideon soon followed them out not long after, and Dorcas was draining the remainder of the milk in her bowl.

"Enjoy doing the dishes," she teased, rinsing out her bowl. Wes groaned, massaging his temples. She couldn't help taking pity on him. Silently, she filled the sink with hot water and soap and began washing the others' bowls and spoons.

He came up behind her a moment later. "You didn't have to do that," he said, shoving her off playfully when she reached for his bowl.

"There wasn't much, otherwise, you'd have been on your own." She punched him lightly on the arm. He groaned with pain, dropping his bowl into the soapy water. He lifted up his sleeve and frowned. "Bloody hell, Marlene." He went back to washing his dish.

Dorcas was in the doorway when she turned, leaning against it thoughtfully. "I know of this really good bruise ointment, you know." He paused in the middle of drying off his bowl. "Oh really?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips as he looked over his shoulder. She smiled coyly. "Well by all means, do share. I'll never tough this one out." He placed his bowl back in the cabinet, tapping her on the nose as he brushed past on his way upstairs.

He was halfway to the staircase when he turned, beckoning for her to follow. She pushed off the doorframe, still smiling slightly. Oh how she loved to torment herself, she thought as she jogged up the stairs behind him.

In the bathroom, he rolled up his sleeve, handing her the jar of ointment. "Please tell me you're enjoying the déjà vu as much as I am."

"Of course," she answered lightly, unscrewing the cap. "Is this your only bruise?" He thought for a moment, twisting around to check his sides in the mirror. He winced.

"Nope, found another one!" he exclaimed, pulling his shirt over his head to reveal a bruise blossoming on his ribs. Dorcas mentally commended herself for not blushing. She began gently massaging the ointment into the bruise. Once satisfied she had gotten it all over, she blew lightly on it like he had done. He cleared his throat. Nervously, she thought. "Don't do that."

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Why not?" She quite enjoyed flipping the tables on him. He didn't answer, but simply turned so she could begin working on his arm. "Well, at least you know Marlene can defend herself," she remarked lightly.

He grunted, "I figured that out a long time ago. Why do you think I have this stuff? She likes to catch me unawares."

Dorcas laughed. "Because, obviously, in a fair fight, you'd win," she challenged him.

"Obviously…" He said, using her word. "It would never be fair fight though. I can't hit a girl, even one as wicked as my sister," he said fondly. "Don't tell her I said that though. She needs a healthy sense of fear of her brother."

"And the list of things I'm not telling Marlene grows…" she remarked before realizing what she'd said. And like that, both their minds strayed to the bed that was a few feet away. She mentally slapped herself for ruining the banter.

She applied a second round of ointment to his ribs in silence. Satisfied, she screwed the top back onto the jar. "I think you'll live," she proclaimed, her voice sounding too loud as it cut through the quiet. He smiled, taking the ointment from her and setting it on the counter.

Dorcas was almost in the hallway when she heard her name; she looked back over her shoulder. He was framed in the bathroom doorway, the light spilling out around his silhouette. He ruffled his hair. Nervously, again, she thought. "What did you mean, yesterday, when you said I did things I didn't mean to?"

Her breath hitched in her throat. "Don't ask me that," she said simply before disappearing into the hallway.


	5. Confessions & Cockblocks

She was lying on Marlene's bed, reading one of her school textbooks when she heard the knock at the door. "Come in," she called. The door opened slowly. Gideon. Color me surprised, she thought. "Yes…?"

He slumped against the door. "Fabian and Marlene are going out. What do you want to do today?" She shrugged, holding up her book. "You and Wes are so dull today," he complained. "Fine, I'm going to visit my sister. She's pregnant. Again." He tried to sound exasperated but she knew he was fond of his nephews.

"Have fun," she said as he slouched off. Great, she thought, alone in Wes's house, with Wes. She was going to need something more interesting than a schoolbook to pass the day. Rolling off the bed, she placed the book back on Marlene's shelf before heading down the hall to the study. She found a promising book and curled up in an armchair.

It wasn't until Wes knocked on the door that she looked up from her book. The sun had begun to sink in the sky, and she realized she had skipped lunch. "Have you been in here all day?" he asked, disbelief etched across his face. She smiled meekly in response. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she answered, putting down her book and stretching her limbs for the first time in hours.

"What do you want for dinner?" he asked as she crossed the room.

"Breakfast," she said without thinking twice about it.

"No, for dinner."

She paused, "Yeah, breakfast, for dinner."

He raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say lady."

Dorcas noted the use of the nickname, but said nothing about it. She made her way to the staircase, knowing he would follow, and soon heard his footsteps on the stair behind her. His footsteps continued to shadow hers all the way to kitchen, where she began to rummage around for groceries. "I can help," he offered as she searched for English muffins. "This is my house," he joked.

"English muffins?" she asked, and he pointed to the cabinet behind her. "Want to poach some eggs, frying pan maestro?"

He jumped on the opportunity, "Mmm yes, I'm quite good at that, have you heard?" He went about making two eggs for each of them and toasted a muffin apiece while she made a sauce and heated some bacon from the previous morning.

* * *

><p>"Where are we going?" Marlene questioned, tugging lightly on Fabian's arm as they walked down the sidewalk.<p>

He looked down at her and smiled. "Let me surprise you for once." She tried to pout but failed. "Okay fine," she relented, "but you _know_ I hate surprises."

Fabian rolled his eyes. "You don't hate surprises; you hate not being the one in control."

Marlene stuck out her tongue. "Which you _love_ about me."

"Indeed, I do," he agreed, ducking down to kiss her on the lips. "It's very sexy."

She feigned ignorance as they turned up the driveway to his family's house, a quaint two story building with ivy that was slowly taking over the brick facade. "What is this 'sexy' you speak of? I don't think I know how to do that. I'm just a sweet, innocent, and naïve girl. I couldn't possibly—"

Fabian cut her off as she made to open the front door, pushing her up against the side of the house. "Innocent my ass," he growled.

"Not anymore, thanks to you," she reminded him. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, making her laugh. He kissed her roughly before pulling away. She made a fuss about smoothing down the front of her dress before daintily stepping through the door, which he held open for her. She headed for the staircase that led to his bedroom, but he grabbed her by the waist and redirected her to the back of the house. "We're not going to your room?" She inquired.

"Control yourself, woman," he chided, earning himself a swat on the arm.

"That's not what I meant, you pig."

He kissed her on the forehead. "I know, c'mon." He slapped her on the butt before skipping away so she couldn't scold him.

"So, you're seriously not gonna tell me where we're going?" she asked again, this time much more skeptical.

Fabian had a bulging rucksack on his back, which he hadn't allowed her to watch him pack. He shook his head. "You don't need to know where we're going, just grab my arm." Marlene did as she was told. "Alright, on three. One, two," She tightened her grasp instinctively. "Three." She felt her world twisting and turning and her entire body felt as if it were being compressed and just as suddenly decompressed. She opened her eyes as she felt her feet find solid ground. She was panting for breath as she let go of Fabian's arm, doubling over as she mentally willed herself not to lose her breakfast.

She straightened up slowly, taking in her surroundings. They were somewhere in the countryside, no sign of civilization as far as the eye could see. The wildflowers were all in bloom and the grass reached her waist, which tickled as it swayed in the breeze. "It's beautiful here," she stated.

"My dad took my brother and I here to teach us how to ride a broom since our yard isn't big enough. And the Muggles next door are awful nosey."

Marlene smiled. "I love it."

A few minutes later and Fabian had patted down a patch of grass for them to sit on. It felt like their own private fort with swaying grass walls, and Marlene rolled around inside of it, feeling like a child again, if only for a moment. He laughed at her as she got blooms stuck in her hair but she refused to let him pick them out.

They set about emptying the bag he'd packed, which was full of homemade treats he'd nicked from the kitchen. They gorged themselves on Mrs. Prewett's cooking until they couldn't possibly take another bite, and stretched out on the quilt. "This was amazing," Marlene murmured, rolling over so her chin rested on Fabian's chest.

"You're amazing," he responded sleepily.

"You're ridiculous," she giggled.

He opened one eye to study her. "You love it," he answered, mimicking their earlier conversation.

"Yeah, yeah…" she consented, nestling her face into the crook of his neck.

He turned to kiss the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered, his breath coasting across her forehead.

"I love you, too," she answered automatically. He pulled her tighter to him, sighing contentedly before falling asleep. Marlene's mind, however, was racing too fast for sleep. She'd always wondered what it would feel like to finally say it, and couldn't help but question if there was supposed to be something more to it than this. Well, there was more, but she wasn't sure she was ready for that… Was there such a thing as a relationship being too easy—too good—to be true?

* * *

><p>"What did you call this again?" Wes asked, rubbing his full stomach appreciatively.<p>

"Eggs Benedict," she answered. "It's my favorite."

They were in the middle of drying off the dishes when he brought it up again. "So why can't I ask you about what you said?" The plate Dorcas was drying hung limply by her side. "That's the same as asking," she retorted, exasperated.

He studied her with a dangerously mischievous glint in his eye before speaking up again. "But if I'm bothering you, and you're staying with us, I think I should know." He took her plate from her and began drying it with a very smug expression on his face.

"That's just it," she said, motioning towards the plate. He looked confused, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. "What? Doing the dishes?" He laughed, putting the plate away.

"No," she began slowly, drying out a glass. It was annoying, having to do these things without magic; only the twins were of age, and they had yet to be on dish duty somehow "It's more the fact that you _aren't_ bothering me."

Wesley looked more confused than ever. "So, you're saying that you're annoyed that I'm not annoying?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed, thankful he was cottoning on. Couldn't he see how much their dynamic had changed? "What happened to the days when you _constantly _took the mickey out of me and Marlene?"

"I still harass Marlene," he deflected.

She raised an eyebrow. "And me? Why is this summer different from all the others?"

He shrugged. "I just got to know you last year is all. You're not just my sister's little friend anymore. Why are you complaining?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I just don't know how to act around you now," she admitted so quietly she hoped he wouldn't hear. He did. She bit her lip as she the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"Because I'm not the annoying older brother anymore?" He joked.

Dorcas sighed. "Something like that," she mumbled meeting his eyes as the flush faded from her cheeks. He smiled, sighing dramatically. "What am I going to do with you, Dorcas Meadowes?" He tapped her on the nose.

"Please, don't… do that," she pleaded. How could he not see how flirty he was? Did she _literally _have to spell it out? "It's just that… When you do things like that... It makes me think you're—" Merlin, she'd lost her ability to make full sentences. "I know you don't think of me like that, but, it's just, things like that… You can't do them anymore."

He rubbed his face vigorously with his hands. "Oh. You—Oh. Okay."

She blushed furiously as she said, "Yeah…" Fighting the urge to flee the room, she diverted her attention to the last few dishes. He placed a hand lightly on her arm and she put down the dish she was drying, turning to face him.

Wes put an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her slightly. Dorcas was very aware of how short she was, her face level with his armpit. "Now I really don't know what to do with you, Dorcas." She laughed, turning her face away to hide her disappointment, but he wasn't done. "I did think of you that way, once, but, you know, Marlene…" he trailed off.

Dorcas's eyes widened in shock before sighing. That was just her luck: too little, too late. "She said I could do worse," she told him, stifling a giggle. It wasn't particularly funny, but it was a relief, finally knowing one way or the other.

He pulled away, holding her at arms length. "Marlene, my sister, your best friend, was okay with it?" He didn't believe her, and to be honest, she hadn't either, really—not that it mattered now.

"Yeah, she said so this morning after her freak out." Dorcas shrugged, but he had pursed his lips, thinking hard. She wanted desperately to know what he was thinking, and she especially wanted to know when he had felt this way about her, and _why_. Before she could ask, however, the front door creaked open and Marlene exclaimed, "HONEY, I'M HOME!"

"In here," Wes called back, muttering under his breath things that Dorcas couldn't make out. When did Marlene become such a cockblock? she wondered as she entered the kitchen, face flushed.

"Come with me," she beckoned, leading her by the hand to her bedroom.

"I take it was a good date?" Marlene nodded vigorously, her eyes wide. "Did something happen…" she began slowly, torn between wanting to know if they'd had sex yet, and not wanting to know at the same time.

She shut the door behind her, "No, well, sort of, last night, almost. _Don't_ tell Wesley." Dorcas made a face. She'd tell Wes as soon as she wanted Fabian hexed into next week. "Okay, that was obvious. But I want your opinion." She hugged a pillow to her chest, nervous and excited. "Is it too soon?"

Marlene rarely asked for advice, Dorcas knew this, and chose her words carefully. "Do you think it's too soon?" She countered.

"I asked first," she teased.

Dorcas shook her head. She wouldn't let her joke her way out of this one. "I think that if you think it's too early, then it's too early." Dorcas felt guilty for previously resenting Marlene for her awful timing, but was grateful to have someone else's problems to occupy her mind.

She nodded. "That makes sense," she said slowly. Without another word, she left the room and Dorcas could hear her as she padded downstairs. Dorcas lay back on the bed, emotionally exhausted from her day. She was asleep in minutes, not even bothering to crawl under the covers. In the middle of the night, she felt hot, and realized that someone had put a blanket over her. She rolled over and found Marlene sleeping peacefully next to her. Dorcas smiled before rolling over. It was a relief, knowing that Marlene knew her own limits. She worried about her best friend sometimes, but not tonight. With that, she drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Marlene shared her bed with Dorcas the following two nights, and was therefore surprised when she rolled over one morning and she wasn't there. She wasn't really sure what that meant for Marlene and Fabian. She brought it up that afternoon as they sunbathed on the lawn while the boys played their new game.<p>

"You slept with Fabian last night…?" she ventured.

"Yeah," Marlene said nonchalantly. Dorcas's head snapped to the side. Marlene started. "Oh! No, nothing happened," she giggled. "I would have told you, silly goose."

Dorcas rolled over onto her stomach. "Would you?"

"Of course," she insisted, her brows furrowing together as if to say "you even have to ask"…?

She smiled. "You just don't really talk about feelings, Marlene. I don't want you to go through it alone."

Marlene giggled. "Well that's kinda it, isn't it? You can't really do it _alone_." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, earning her a swat on the arm.

"Stop it! You know that's not what I meant."

She rolled on to her side, holding out her pinky. "I know, and I promise you'll be the first to know." Dorcas wrapped her pinky around Marlene's.

"Deal."

They lay in silence, absorbing the sun. The boys soon landed, deciding to take a break from their game for the first time in hours. Wes stripped off his shirt and lay on the grass nearby, breathing heavier than usual. Not that she was paying attention, or noticing at all, or even thinking about him, of course. They hadn't been alone in a room since they'd made dinner together. She wasn't sure what that meant, and wasn't sure if he did either. Nonetheless, things had been easier since he stopped showing up half dressed everywhere. Until now, she thought. Get out of here with your fit-ness.

As if he had heard her thoughts, he jumped up from his spot on the grass. "I'm hungry. Anybody want anything?" Everyone mumbled and grunted their no's having only eaten a few hours ago. "_Fine_," he said, drawing out the word. "I'll go be fat by myself."

You are anything but fat, she thought longingly. No! No, Dorcas. Don't go there. Well, it's not _my_ fault he looks that way, she argued with herself. Before her thoughts could wander any further, Marlene jumped up too. "Actually, I really want some strawberries. Want any Dorcas?"

"Yes please!" Dorcas loved all kinds of berries, especially with chocolate. She tried to remember if she'd seen any around the house, finally recalling there had been some in the pantry. "BRING SOME CHOCOLATE!" she yelled across the yard, but Marlene was already inside the house. What, did you bloody _apparate_ in? she thought irritably as she got up from her towel to get the chocolate herself.

The front door was ajar, she noticed as she wiped off her feet. Marlene probably had run inside, for no reason other than she felt like it. Dorcas was just outside the kitchen when she noticed that Wes and Marlene were talking. A normal enough occurrence, but it was their tones that were unusual.

"I told you nothing happened! I'm sure she told you the same, so I don't know why you insist upon bringing it back up." Wes. He sounded exasperated.

She could visualize him running his fingers through his hair in frustration as Marlene responded. "I just don't want you messing with her head."

He groaned. "Because she has feelings for me?"

Pause.

"She told you?" He must have nodded for Marlene remarked, "How very unlike Dorcas." She knew she shouldn't be listening in but her feet were rooted to the spot.

"Does it really bother you that much? Because you're doing the exact same thing with _my_ best friend, you know."

Pause.

Pause.

"Are you saying you have feelings for her?"

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

BLOODY ANSWER THE QUESTION, WES, Dorcas wanted to yell.

Another pause.

And another, just for good measure.

"I don't know…" he said slowly. Well that helps me out tons, thanks, she thought bitterly. It was easier when she thought it was all in her head, but the possibility that, maybe… That was worse than no chance at all.

"Well…" Marlene began. Dorcas could sense the awkward tension radiating from the kitchen as they both struggled to find their words. "Just make up your mind and… Be good to her, if that's what you decide… And for goodness sakes, go slow. She's not just some floozy."

She didn't need, nor did she want, to hear anymore. She turned and shut the door loudly. "Hey, Marlene, did you hear me?" They both started as she entered the kitchen. Marlene threw down the towel she had been using to dry the strawberries and Wes turned away from her, rubbing the back of his neck. She pretended not to notice the tense atmosphere. "I thought some chocolate would be good."

Marlene coughed nervously. "Erm, yeah. See if we have any." Dorcas pretended not to notice the look they exchanged as she turned away.

She rummaged through the pantry looking for the telltale shine of Honeyduke's golden wrappers. Finally locating it, she turned back to the kitchen. "Ready?" she asked brightly.

"Uh, yeah." Marlene picked up the bowl of bright red strawberries and led the way out the door and back out onto the lawn. They sat on their towels, alternating bites of strawberries and chocolate, giggling as juice ran down their chins and the chocolate melted on their fingers. They were cleaning themselves up from their lush snack when Wes came back out and talked the twins into another go at their game.

"Good idea, the chocolate," Marlene commented, licking it off of her palm.

"Thanks," she said distractedly, concentrated on rubbing strawberry juice off her knee.

Marlene shifted on her towel uncomfortably. "Did you, um, hear anything when you came in?"

Dorcas hadn't been expecting her to ask. She wasn't sure whether to tell the truth or not. She didn't think Marlene would be mad, but it was embarrassing to be caught hanging around corners like a child. She felt the telltale blush creeping into her cheeks and knew she couldn't lie. "Yeah, a little."

"How much?

She couldn't remember the exact words—the last were the ones she had really wanted to hear—so she simply said, "Enough."

Marlene sighed, lying back on her towel. "You're in a pickle."

Dorcas followed her lead, spreading out her own towel. "I really hate pickles."

They both giggled.

* * *

><p>Seeing Wes after what she'd overhead was torture. She wanted to know so badly if he'd made up his mind, and <em>why<em> was it so hard for him to figure out. She voiced all of this to Marlene, whose answer didn't make things any less confusing. If anything, it just added a new layer of complications.

"Maybe he's trying to decide if it's worth it—not that _you're_ not worth it, obviously, because, c'mon," she teased, "but rather, if it'd be like, long term, 'cause this summer's been awesome, y'know? I mean, I wouldn't want to lose all this, and I don't think either of you do either."

But the more she thought about it—and she thought about it a lot more than she'd ever admit—the less complicated it became. There was no way of knowing how "long term" it would be unless they tried. So really, she reasoned, all that mattered was whether or not Wes still fancied her. And furthermore, the only way she'd find out would be to ask him, a realization that she didn't welcome.

I'm just gonna have to buckle down and do it, she resolved. Next time we're alone together. She took comfort in the fact that they hadn't been alone in a room for days, and wouldn't have to say anything, at least not right away. Of course, however, when you try to put something off, it has a way of sneaking up on you anyways. Which is why she was surprised to find herself alone in the sitting room with him the next evening. She'd been finishing up a book when he'd come in, and he looked equally surprised to find her there.

"Hey."

She folded down the corner of her page and set down the book. "Hi." Now or never, Dorcas, she mentally motivated herself. "I, um, wanted to talk to you actually." He walked over to her, and she tried to get a cap on her nerves. She got up and began pacing, unable to sit.

"Okay, shoot." She stopped pacing, wringing her hands as she turned to face him.

"I overhead you and Marlene the other day," she blurted out.

His bemused expression quickly shifted to one of uncomfortable understanding. "Oh."

"Yeah." Make sentences, Dorcas. This is getting you nowhere. "I know I shouldn't have, but I did and I can't un-hear it." Slow down, she chided herself. Don't become psycho girl. "I was just wondering," she began, sounding much more in control than she was feeling. "Um, if you'd decided.

He looked really uncomfortable. "I—I don't know. It's complicated."

"Because we're friends? And because of Marlene? And me staying here? Because I've thought about all that and, well, it's not the point, is it? Either you do or you don't Wes…"

He ran a hand through his short curls. "It's not that simple. I'd normally ask you out to see where it goes but— That doesn't really work in this situation."

They both thought it over for a moment, wracking their brains for an easy solution to their dilemma. Finally, Dorcas realized there was really no other way to go about it. She took a deep breath, summoning her courage. "I know Marlene told you to go slow with me, but, I think maybe we should skip a few steps."

He quirked his head to the side, not understanding. "What do you—"

She stood on her tiptoes to close the gap in their heights and kissed him softly on the lips. If he didn't feel anything, then he didn't feel anything, she reasoned. She opened her eyes, looking up at him expectantly. He looked back down at her, surprise registering in his eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched, as if to smile. He leaned down to her and kissed her back and she balled his shirt in her fists, pulling him closer. He pulled away a moment later, circling her in his arms, looking thoughtful. "I think it's safe to say we could go on a date."

Dorcas giggled. "I was hoping you'd say that."

"We should probably go back and pick up the steps we skipped though, you know, do this right."

She mulled that over for a moment. "Sounds good to me," she decided, grinning up at him before leaning in for another kiss.

He leaned back, gasping and clasping a hand over his heart dramatically. "What do you think I am? Some floozy? _We haven't even had our first date yet_!" he said, scandalized.

She couldn't help but laugh. He could be so ridiculous sometimes. "So when's this date then?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmm," he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "What are you doing Friday night?"

Bugger. "I go home that morning, remember?"

He slouched. "I forgot you don't normally live here." Me too, she thought. She'd been there for over a week and wasn't looking forward to returning back home to where she had parents and chores and a sister to watch after. "We'll figure it out," he promised. "I could be a proper gentleman caller, oh my!"

"Only the best for a lady, right?"

He smiled down at her. "Right," he agreed, studying her. "Aw, okay, maybe one more," he caved, pulling her in for another kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So far I've been posting things I wrote a while back but there's a big gap between now and the next segment I have written so some reviews would be muchhh appreciated as far as inspiring me to write more. :)

Reviews are love and happiness and rainbows with frolicking unicorns.

...Or Dorcas & Wes going on a date. Whichever you prefer.

Also, check out the tumblr for the story. Same name. Askbox is open for thoughts/concerns/reviews/everything. There are pretty things there, so go go go!


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